1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play takes place during the early 80s in New York at the very beginning of the AIDS Crisis. Ned Weeks, a gay man, is struggling to get the gay community to recognize the epidemic facing them and that they must change their behavior if they wish to survive. 2. What is the intrusion?
When Ned's boyfriend, Felix, begins to show signs of AIDS,Ned really becomes a spokesperson for the gay community to try to force society to acknowledge the tragedy occurring in the gay community. 3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day that it really shakes Ned to realize that he must do something about this as he watches many of his friends and their lovers die day by day. This is the day when he decides to speak out for his community to try to grt the help and attention they need. 4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Ned be able to draw proper attention to the crisis? Will the rest of the community listen to Ned's warning and start taking preventative steps? Will they fine a infinitive cause for the disease and a cure? 5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The first kind of exposition is that the audience goes into the play knowing what the disease is and its effects while the characters are struggling to figure out what is happening before it kills too many of their friends. The second typo of exposition is as the play develops and we see it begin to effect the gay community and it is revealed how it effects Ned on a personal level. 6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I think the most theatrical moment is when Felix is dying in the end. I was literally crying as I read this scene because it struck home with me that this was the reality of so many gay men who watched their friends and lovers die knowing there was nothing they could do at the point because there was no treatment or cure. 7. List some of the themes of the play.
A major theme is inequality and medical injustice because during this time AIDS was labeled as the "gay disease" and people were hateful or careless to what was happening to thousands of men; however, if it was "the straight white male disease" there4 would have definitely been a different response. 8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Ned's main desire is for the gay community to recognize what is happening and change there ways to change it as well as to get the rest of the world to see this as more than just a "gay disease" and start to care what is happening right in front of their eyes and to care what happens to these men. Obviously an obstacle for Ned is that the gay community is extremely reluctant to change their ways because they felt it was violating their freedom. Hatred and bigotry stood in Ned's way because people didn't identify or sympathize with the gay community so they could not see the AIDS Crisis as there problem. 9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
I think that normality is a very important image for the play. Ned is fighting to get people to accept this disease as more but they can't get past the fact that it is effecting homosexual men. They can't except them a normal humans. They can't see that the gay community is not so strange and underneath they have "normal hearts" that love, hurt and fear just like anyone else. 10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Ned's brother Ben excepts his lifestyle; however, their arguments get a bit heated and Ben says that Ned is mentally ill. Ben selfishly buys a 2 million dollar house while Ned struggles to raise funds for his organization this leads to their biggest fight and it looks as though the brohter's relationship is over but, when Felix dies, Ned and his brother come together again and Ned leans on family in a moment when he feels truly alone.
The play takes place during the early 80s in New York at the very beginning of the AIDS Crisis. Ned Weeks, a gay man, is struggling to get the gay community to recognize the epidemic facing them and that they must change their behavior if they wish to survive.
2. What is the intrusion?
When Ned's boyfriend, Felix, begins to show signs of AIDS,Ned really becomes a spokesperson for the gay community to try to force society to acknowledge the tragedy occurring in the gay community.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day that it really shakes Ned to realize that he must do something about this as he watches many of his friends and their lovers die day by day. This is the day when he decides to speak out for his community to try to grt the help and attention they need.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Ned be able to draw proper attention to the crisis? Will the rest of the community listen to Ned's warning and start taking preventative steps? Will they fine a infinitive cause for the disease and a cure?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The first kind of exposition is that the audience goes into the play knowing what the disease is and its effects while the characters are struggling to figure out what is happening before it kills too many of their friends. The second typo of exposition is as the play develops and we see it begin to effect the gay community and it is revealed how it effects Ned on a personal level.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I think the most theatrical moment is when Felix is dying in the end. I was literally crying as I read this scene because it struck home with me that this was the reality of so many gay men who watched their friends and lovers die knowing there was nothing they could do at the point because there was no treatment or cure.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
A major theme is inequality and medical injustice because during this time AIDS was labeled as the "gay disease" and people were hateful or careless to what was happening to thousands of men; however, if it was "the straight white male disease" there4 would have definitely been a different response.
8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Ned's main desire is for the gay community to recognize what is happening and change there ways to change it as well as to get the rest of the world to see this as more than just a "gay disease" and start to care what is happening right in front of their eyes and to care what happens to these men. Obviously an obstacle for Ned is that the gay community is extremely reluctant to change their ways because they felt it was violating their freedom. Hatred and bigotry stood in Ned's way because people didn't identify or sympathize with the gay community so they could not see the AIDS Crisis as there problem.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
I think that normality is a very important image for the play. Ned is fighting to get people to accept this disease as more but they can't get past the fact that it is effecting homosexual men. They can't except them a normal humans. They can't see that the gay community is not so strange and underneath they have "normal hearts" that love, hurt and fear just like anyone else.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Ned's brother Ben excepts his lifestyle; however, their arguments get a bit heated and Ben says that Ned is mentally ill. Ben selfishly buys a 2 million dollar house while Ned struggles to raise funds for his organization this leads to their biggest fight and it looks as though the brohter's relationship is over but, when Felix dies, Ned and his brother come together again and Ned leans on family in a moment when he feels truly alone.